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FEATURE: Angeles U Foundation: A Dream, A Legacy, and a Crowning Glory
It all started with a dream.
When Barbara Yap-Angeles dreamt of building a school to fulfill her dream of teaching and to extend help to the less-fortunate people through education, Angeles Academy was born.
Given to her as a graduation gift from her brother Ildefonso Yap, Angeles Academy was established on May 10, 1931. Back then, it was the very first private high school in Angeles City with four classrooms, a library, a laboratory, and a living quarters for the staff - housed in a single semi-concrete building.
Built on a lot donated by the Dayrit family, it was agreed that the land would be returned to the donors if the school ever closed down. When the school opened, children of rich families in Pampanga enrolled in Barbara’s school. However, despite the good start, she was forced to close it two years after because of a betrayal by one of her employees.
It was, indeed, a heartbreak. In just a blink of an eye, Barbara lost her gift, her dream – a lesson she learned from putting all her trust in somebody she didn’t know that well. Disappointed and saddened by the turn of events, she set aside her dream for a while and started concentrating in raising her family.
Several years later, a decision to re-open Angeles Academy surfaced. With a starting capital of P5,000, Barbara bought a mimeograph machine, a second-hand portable typewriter, a box of carbon paper, and a ream of bond paper.
On May 25, 1962, it was inaugurated as the Angeles Institute of Technology (AIT), the first private technical school in Central Luzon. The two-storey wooden building with seven classrooms accommodated 11 faculty members and 610 initial students.
In 1965, AIT’S graduate school opened with Master of Arts in Education program. More courses were soon added. Barbara lived by her motto: “No one should be denied education due to poverty.” When school year 1962-1963 came, more than 50 percent of the pioneer batch were on scholarships. In 1968, the Study-Now-Pay-Later Plan was introduced, allowing poor but deserving students to attend classes and pay for their education on installment after landing a job after graduation.
After completing the Department of Education requirements for the conversion of AIT into a university, on April 16, 1971, it became Angeles University (AU)—the first private university in Central Luzon, with Barbara as its first president.
On March 19, 1976, her son, Emmanuel Y. Angeles, became the university's new president; Barbara had to bow out due to illness.
A bit hesitant to accept the position, Manny laid down three conditions to the board before finally accepting the job. First is to turn AU into a non-stock, non-profit educational foundation; next, convert it into a Catholic university; and third is to donate all the assets of the Angeles family in favor of the foundation.
The trustees approved Manny’s conditions. The family’s donation of P20 million incorporated the university under Republic Act No. 6055, otherwise known as the Foundation Law. That same day, AU became the Angeles University Foundation.
The little school which Barbara strove to build continued to grow. Almost two years after her death, on February 14, 1978, AUF was declared the first Catholic University in Central Luzon.
AUF became the first medical school in the region with an initial 150 students in academic year 1983-1984. To provide training grounds for the students of its Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Medical Professions, a university hospital was built. Six years later, a five-storey, 125-bed hospital was constructed. It was named Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC). It was blessed and inaugurated on February 23, 1990.
On October 27, 2003, AUF received its autonomous status from the Commission on Higher Education. Today, AUF is known to be the Center of Excellence in IT Education.
To date, the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) has granted Level IV accreditation to six academic programs of the university. This highest accreditation status was given to AUF’s BS Biology, BS Psychology, AB Communication, BS Nursing, BS Elementary Education and BS Secondary Education programs. Also, AUF has now established connections with international institutions proving the untiring efforts of the university to be known internationally in providing excellent education.
The university was named after the city it was located in, and not after the family’s name. It was an uphill battle to re-establish and support the school and the family experienced a lot of financial difficulties in the start. At present, as AUF nears its 50th anniversary, the university still prides itself with numerous recognition not only in the national but in the international scene as well, yet, it does not deviate from its mission—to develop man for God and humanity. (WLB/Angeline P. Rogel, PIA-3 Intern-PIA3)
When Barbara Yap-Angeles dreamt of building a school to fulfill her dream of teaching and to extend help to the less-fortunate people through education, Angeles Academy was born.
Given to her as a graduation gift from her brother Ildefonso Yap, Angeles Academy was established on May 10, 1931. Back then, it was the very first private high school in Angeles City with four classrooms, a library, a laboratory, and a living quarters for the staff - housed in a single semi-concrete building.
Built on a lot donated by the Dayrit family, it was agreed that the land would be returned to the donors if the school ever closed down. When the school opened, children of rich families in Pampanga enrolled in Barbara’s school. However, despite the good start, she was forced to close it two years after because of a betrayal by one of her employees.
It was, indeed, a heartbreak. In just a blink of an eye, Barbara lost her gift, her dream – a lesson she learned from putting all her trust in somebody she didn’t know that well. Disappointed and saddened by the turn of events, she set aside her dream for a while and started concentrating in raising her family.
Several years later, a decision to re-open Angeles Academy surfaced. With a starting capital of P5,000, Barbara bought a mimeograph machine, a second-hand portable typewriter, a box of carbon paper, and a ream of bond paper.
On May 25, 1962, it was inaugurated as the Angeles Institute of Technology (AIT), the first private technical school in Central Luzon. The two-storey wooden building with seven classrooms accommodated 11 faculty members and 610 initial students.
In 1965, AIT’S graduate school opened with Master of Arts in Education program. More courses were soon added. Barbara lived by her motto: “No one should be denied education due to poverty.” When school year 1962-1963 came, more than 50 percent of the pioneer batch were on scholarships. In 1968, the Study-Now-Pay-Later Plan was introduced, allowing poor but deserving students to attend classes and pay for their education on installment after landing a job after graduation.
After completing the Department of Education requirements for the conversion of AIT into a university, on April 16, 1971, it became Angeles University (AU)—the first private university in Central Luzon, with Barbara as its first president.
On March 19, 1976, her son, Emmanuel Y. Angeles, became the university's new president; Barbara had to bow out due to illness.
A bit hesitant to accept the position, Manny laid down three conditions to the board before finally accepting the job. First is to turn AU into a non-stock, non-profit educational foundation; next, convert it into a Catholic university; and third is to donate all the assets of the Angeles family in favor of the foundation.
The trustees approved Manny’s conditions. The family’s donation of P20 million incorporated the university under Republic Act No. 6055, otherwise known as the Foundation Law. That same day, AU became the Angeles University Foundation.
The little school which Barbara strove to build continued to grow. Almost two years after her death, on February 14, 1978, AUF was declared the first Catholic University in Central Luzon.
AUF became the first medical school in the region with an initial 150 students in academic year 1983-1984. To provide training grounds for the students of its Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Medical Professions, a university hospital was built. Six years later, a five-storey, 125-bed hospital was constructed. It was named Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC). It was blessed and inaugurated on February 23, 1990.
On October 27, 2003, AUF received its autonomous status from the Commission on Higher Education. Today, AUF is known to be the Center of Excellence in IT Education.
To date, the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) has granted Level IV accreditation to six academic programs of the university. This highest accreditation status was given to AUF’s BS Biology, BS Psychology, AB Communication, BS Nursing, BS Elementary Education and BS Secondary Education programs. Also, AUF has now established connections with international institutions proving the untiring efforts of the university to be known internationally in providing excellent education.
The university was named after the city it was located in, and not after the family’s name. It was an uphill battle to re-establish and support the school and the family experienced a lot of financial difficulties in the start. At present, as AUF nears its 50th anniversary, the university still prides itself with numerous recognition not only in the national but in the international scene as well, yet, it does not deviate from its mission—to develop man for God and humanity. (WLB/Angeline P. Rogel, PIA-3 Intern-PIA3)
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